Airports: Stansted

Baroness Hamwee: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the decision of the Secretary of State for Transport to expand Stansted Airport accords with the remarks by Baroness Andrews on 6 October (Official Report, House of Lords, col. 49) on the role of the Secretary of State in planning decisions and the length of time that would be taken to reach major planning decisions in the absence of the proposed Infrastructure Planning Commission.

Lord Adonis: The recent decision by the Secretaries of State for Communities and Local Government and for Transport to allow for an increase in the number of flights and passengers using Stansted Airport was taken in accordance with Section 266 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. The reasons for the decision are set out in decision letter of the Secretaries of State dated 8 October, copies of which are available in the House Libraries, together with The Planning Inspectorate's report.
	This was an important and complicated case. It was important that all the evidence was considered, along with other representations received, before any decision was taken. The Planning Inspectorate submitted its report in January 2008, following a public inquiry held between May and October 2007. In March 2008, the Departments for Communities and Local Government and for Transport asked for further information on local air quality issues, and in July 2008 they asked for views on the inspectorate's proposed night-noise condition. Ministers were involved throughout this process.
	The remarks made by Baroness Andrews on 6 October were in the context of a wide-ranging debate on how the reforms proposed in the Planning Bill would in future improve the decision-making process for major new infrastructure projects. They do not in any way call into question the particular decisions that have been taken under the current procedures.

Alcohol

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What recent advice they have given to police forces in England and Wales on implementing provisions relating to alcohol disorder.

Lord West of Spithead: The Home Office issues guidance to practitioners whenever new powers are introduced, and in February 2008, the Home Office published a consolidated guidance document, Practical Guide for dealing with alcohol-related problems; what you need to know. This was sent to every police force in the country and contains information on the tools and powers available to tackle alcohol-related problems. Additionally, the Home Office is running 10 alcohol workshops around the country to ensure that front-line practitioners are fully aware of the powers available to them to tackle these problems.
	These workshops start in October 2008 and will be attended by the police, trading standards and local authority licensing officers.

Alcohol

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What research was undertaken to reach the estimate by the Department of Health that alcohol misuse costs the National Health Service around £2.7 billion a year; what caused the increase from the estimate of £1.4 to £1.7 billion in the September 2003 interim analytical report for the national alcohol harm reduction strategy; and what measures they propose to reduce the consumption of alcohol.

Lord Darzi of Denham: The department's study, The cost of alcohol harm to the NHS in England: An update to the Cabinet Office (2003) study, used similar methodology to the Cabinet Office interim analytical report, alongside new data on relevant costs, attributable fractions and usage rates, to estimate the cost of alcohol misuse to the National Health Service. A copy of the department's study has already been placed in the Library and fully explains the methodology used and where it differs from the interim analytical report.
	The difference in estimated cost between the 2008 department's study and the 2003 interim analytical report is a result of the five-year gap between each study. This gap allowed the department's study to take into account increases in costs since the interim analytical report was written and to use more recent and more accurate data on alcohol consumption and harm in its calculations. Section 4 of the new study contains an analysis of why the estimated cost has increased.
	Tackling harmful consumption of alcohol is a priority for the Government, and in June 2007, Safe. Sensible. Social—The next steps in the National Alcohol Strategy was launched, which updated the national alcohol strategy and set out a comprehensive strategy to tackle harmful consumption of alcohol and associated problems. This includes public information campaigns, toughened enforcement of underage sales and more help for people who want to drink less.
	A crucial element in the strategy is to impress on people the need for them to take responsibility for their own actions, supported by an ability to make informed decisions, based on accurate and consistent unit and health information, about their drinking habits and behaviour.
	Additionally, we have put in place a new NHS indicator to measure the change in the rate of hospital admissions for alcohol-related harm from April 2008—the first ever national commitment to monitor how the NHS is tackling alcohol health harms.
	This indicator is expected to encourage primary care trusts to invest in earlier identification of people who drink too much, linked to advice and support from general practitioners or other healthcare staff—shown to be the best way of reducing the kind of everyday drinking which over time leads to liver disease and other problems, including dependency.
	Between 22 July 2008 and 14 October, we carried out a major consultation asking for the views of the public and key stakeholders on what action the Government should take in response to the rising levels of alcohol health harm and crime and disorder. Responses to the consultation are being logged and analysed and will be taken into account, along with the developing evidence, in our future decisions on tackling alcohol health harm and crime and disorder.
	Additionally, the department's policy research programme has commissioned Sheffield University, School of Health and Related Research to carry out an independent review of the evidence on how and in what circumstances price and promotion drive consumption of alcohol and harms from alcohol, and explores the potential impact of potential policy changes on consumption of alcohol and harms from alcohol. The review is expected to be published by the end of November.

Benefits

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Under what powers they insist on paying benefits into a bank account where the beneficiary does not have the documentation necessary to open such an account.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: There are no legislative requirements for benefits to be paid into a bank account and we do not insist on it. We do encourage payment into bank accounts, as this is the safest and most reliable method of payment. Around 98 per cent of customers are paid directly into an account. The small minority of customers who are unable to open an account are paid by cheque.
	Although banks are legally required to check their customer's identity before opening an account, they are able to accept a wide range of documents to prove identity, including a letter from a government department confirming benefit entitlement.

Benefits: Employment and Support Allowance

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Department for Work and Pensions will ensure that applicants for employment support allowance can attend at a single session the work capability assessment, work-focused health-related assessment and first work-focused interview.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: The work capability assessment and work-focused health-related assessment are intended to be combined. The work-focused interview has a different purpose and administration arrangements. The work capability assessment determines whether the claimant has limited capability for work and limited capability for work-related activity. The work-focused health-related assessment looks at the support individuals need to help them return to work; for example, health interventions or workplace adaptations. Both these assessments are conducted by healthcare professionals, employed by Atos Healthcare, on behalf of the department. They will be covered in a single appointment, although there will be occasions when a work-focused health-related assessment is not required.
	The work-focused interview is designed to help the claimant move closer to the labour market. The first work-focused interview is conducted by a Jobcentre Plus personal adviser, who will explore the claimant's work options, explain the services and support available, such as training opportunities, and help to develop the claimant's employment action plan. The work-focused interview is informed by the report from the work-focused health-related assessment. Work-focused interviews are arranged at regular fixed points during the individual's claim, the first being as soon as practicable after the eighth week.

Buses

Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	To what extent their proposals for the problems encountered by bus routes longer than 50 kilometres that require buses to terminate at intermediate points, without mentioning the possibilities of through journeys or fares, will increase use of public transport.

Lord Adonis: New criteria have been agreed with the Confederation of Passenger Transport, the trade association for the bus and coach industry, for determining whether a route is a separate route for the purposes of the 50 kilometre threshold contained within the EU regulation on drivers' hours. This should provide greater certainty for operators who wish to change their services to operate outside the EU regime.
	As a result, separate routes may now be advertised as connecting services. Passengers wishing to continue on the connecting service may do so without leaving the vehicle if they wish and through-tickets may be issued, without the service necessarily coming in-scope of the EU regime.

Children: Education and Specialist Health

Baroness Cumberlege: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What steps they are taking to promote advice for parents whose children require complex educational and specialist heath provision; and
	How they inform parents of children with complex education and specialist health needs of the state and charitable provision available nationally and locally.

Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: Under Section 12 of the Childcare Act 2006, local authorities (LAs) are required to deliver information, advice and guidance on childcare and other local services for parents of children and young people up to age 20.
	The information which must be prescribed by local authorities has been prescribed in the Childcare Act 2006 (Provision of Information to Parents) (England) Regulations 2007 (the regulations). These regulations require LAs to provide information about whether particular childcare is suitable for disabled children, and about services, facilities and publication which may be of particular benefit to disabled children, young people or their parents.
	Nationally, the Early Support Programme is the Government's recommended family-centred approach for delivering integrated services for young disabled children, which includes information resources for parents on how to work with local professionals to understand and secure the support their child needs. In addition, the department funds Contact-a-Family directly and through the parent know-how programme to provide information to parents of disabled children, including on the state and charitable provision available.

Climate Change: Emissions

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they plan to reserve sums received under the Climate Change Bill for expenditure on reducing emissions of greenhouse gases.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: In relation to any sums received by the Government, spending priorities are not, in general, determined by the way in which the money is raised. This is because hypothecating taxes to particular spending programmes creates inflexibility in spending decisions and can lead to reduced value for money for taxpayers.
	Also, the Bill includes powers for up to five local authorities in England to pilot waste incentive schemes. Any revenue collected by the local authorities through charges under these schemes will be returned in full as financial rewards to those producing least residual waste, and they will therefore be revenue neutral.

Congestion Charge: Exemptions

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will make representations to the Mayor of London to allow hospice staff in London exemption from the congestion charge and other related charges when travelling in the course of their clinical duties.

Lord Adonis: The London congestion charging scheme is the responsibility of the Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL). Parliament gave the Mayor the powers to introduce a congestion charging scheme in the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (as amended by the Transport Act 2000). Any exemptions or discounts to this scheme are a matter for the Mayor and it would be inappropriate for Government to intervene in this matter.
	We are aware that TfL does operate a reimbursement scheme for patients when attending an NHS appointment or admission, if they are clinically assessed as being too ill, weak or disabled to travel on public transport. In addition, other vehicles used by certain NHS employees for official purposes may also be eligible for a 100 per cent discount.

Crime: Drugs

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the next Home Office statistical bulletin on drug offenders in England and Wales will be published; why no bulletin has been published since 2005; and whether the Home Office still compiles data on drug-related crime.

Lord West of Spithead: Since publishing Drug Offenders England and Wales 2004 in December 2005, the Home Office has embarked on the process under National Statistics to withdraw the series. The withdrawal is on the following grounds:
	responsibility for offender statistics generally has passed to the Ministry of Justice.; andthere is insufficient demand for a separate drug offenders bulletin.
	As part of the National Statistics procedures for withdrawal of a statistical series, internal and external users were consulted earlier this year, and approval to proceed has been gained from the Home Secretary, and the Home Office's chief statistician and chief scientific adviser.
	Pending final approval from the National Statistician, an announcement about withdrawal will be made shortly.
	Drug offender statistics will continue to be available from MoJ, either in the main publications, such as the annual criminal statistics command volume, or on request.
	While the Home Office compiles and publishes statistics on drug offences and drug seizures recorded by the police in England and Wales, and misuse of drugs from the British Crime Survey, it does not currently compile statistics on drug-related crime.

Crime: Money Laundering

Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many prosecutions there were for money laundering in (a) 2005, (b) 2006, and (c) 2007; and, of those, how many were successful.

Lord West of Spithead: In 2005, a total of 1,327 defendants were proceeded against at magistrates' courts and 595 were found guilty at all courts in England and Wales of money-laundering offences. In 2006 2,375 defendants were proceeded against and 1,271 defendants were found guilty of these offences. Data for 2007 will be available in late November 2008.
	The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.

Crime: Money Laundering

Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much money was involved in the successful money laundering prosecutions in (a) 2005, (b) 2006, and (c) 2007.

Lord West of Spithead: This information is not available. The money-laundering offences in the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 relate not only to money but to criminal property as defined in the Act.

Defra: Inspectors

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has appointed inspectors to investigate the labelling of caviar; and how such inspectors work with local authority hygiene inspectors who visit food preparation centres, shops and restaurants.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Animal Health, an executive agency of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has a panel of part-time wildlife inspectors who undertake inspections of those trading commercially in species subject of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Caviar normally refers to the eggs of species of sturgeon. All species of sturgeon are subject of CITES.
	Sixteen wildlife inspectors have received specific training relating to the labelling of and trade in caviar. A CITES compliance regime has been undertaken by wildlife inspectors.
	No work has yet been undertaken with local authority hygiene inspectors to complete joint visits to food preparation centres, shops and restaurants. It is anticipated that such visits will be developed in the future.

Energy: Gas and Electricity Prices

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What rules govern gas and electricity companies giving their customers notice of price changes; how much notice must be given; and how it must be conveyed.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) is responsible for the regulation of gas and electricity supply, including the rules governing notification of gas and electricity price increases. Gas and electricity suppliers are required to provide their customers with notice within 65 working days of a price increase taking effect. Suppliers must convey details of a price change in writing to customers. Customers may exercise their right to transfer supply without having to pay increased charges, within 10 workings days of being informed of a price increase.

Energy: Gas and Electricity Prices

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What rules govern gas and electricity companies in estimating meter readings; and whether there is any regular check to ensure that they apply such rules.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Gas and electricity suppliers are obliged to ensure that customers' meters are physically read and inspected once every two years. Most suppliers try to read meters quarterly or six-monthly. If the supplier is unable to gain access to the meter, it will estimate the energy use for the billing period based on the customer's historic consumption records. If customers are dissatisfied with the estimate, they can provide the supplier with a reading, which the supplier must either accept or arrange to read the meter. On average, over 87 per cent of domestic customers receive at least one bill based on an actual meter reading each year. The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) is responsible for rules governing meter readings and for policing those rules.

Energy: Nuclear Waste Disposal

Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will ensure that future policy on the disposal of nuclear waste has been decided in advance of the commencement of the next phase of nuclear installations.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Policy on the disposal of higher activity radioactive waste has already been decided.
	In responding to the recommendations of the independent Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM) in October 2006, the Government accepted that geological disposal, coupled with safe and secure interim storage and ongoing research and development to support optimised implementation is the way forward for the long-term management of higher activity radioactive waste. With the publication of the Managing Radioactive Waste Safely White Paper on 12 June 2008, the Government set out the framework for implementing geological disposal.
	With regard to waste from new nuclear power stations, In Meeting the Energy challenge: a White Paper on Nuclear Power, the Government concluded that it would be technically possible and desirable to dispose of both new and legacy waste in the same geological disposal facilities and that this should be explored through the Managing Radioactive Waste Safely programme. The Government consider that waste can and should be stored in safe and secure interim storage until a geological disposal facility becomes available.
	The Government's policy is that before development consents for new nuclear power stations are granted, they will need to be satisfied that effective arrangements exist or will exist to manage and dispose of the waste they produce.

Energy: Water Projects

Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What priority the Department of Energy and Climate Change will give to small-scale community and hamlet projects and to small-scale water projects.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The department recognises the potential role that community-scale energy projects can play in meeting renewable energy and carbon reduction targets, particularly in encouraging greater understanding of energy use among individuals and communities.
	Many of the non-financial barriers to increase take-up of community-scale energy solutions are being addressed by policies in place or under development. But as discussed in the Renewable Energy Strategy Consultation, we need to do more to overcome information constraints, and to provide further financial support for the installation of energy generation technologies.
	We have laid amendments to the Energy Bill currently before Parliament to allow for the introduction of a feed-in tariff system for small-scale electricity generation and financial support for renewable heat generation. This financial support will be available to a range of technologies at the community scale.

Euro

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their reaction to recent suggestions by French officials about United Kingdom membership of the euro, following the Prime Minister's visit to Paris on 28 October.

Lord Myners: The Government's policy on membership of the single currency in unchanged. It remains as set out by the Chancellor in his Statement to the House of Commons in October 1997, and again in the Chancellor's Statement on the five tests assessment in June 2003.

Freedom of Information

Lord Campbell-Savours: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the chairman of Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs will review file No. 1211076548K to ascertain whether the file contains information concerning unauthorised disclosure of information.

Lord Myners: For reasons of taxpayer confidentiality, HMRC does not comment on matters relating to individual taxpayers.

Home Office: Lawyers

Lord Norton of Louth: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many lawyers are employed in the Home Office.

Lord West of Spithead: Fifty lawyers are currently employed in the legal adviser's branch of the Home Office. They provide legal advice to Home Office Ministers and officials; instruct parliamentary counsel in the preparation of Bills for which the Home Office is responsible; draft and process subordinate legislation; and, with counsel and the Treasury Solicitors Department, handle litigation involving the Home Office.

House of Lords: Prayers

Lord Avebury: asked the Chairman of Committees:
	Whether he will hold a public consultation on the arrangements for prayers at the start of sittings of the House of Lords.

Lord Brabazon of Tara: This is a matter for the Procedure Committee. If any Member submits a written proposal to change the arrangements for prayers, I will ensure that the Committee considers it.

Housing: Repossession

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What measures they are proposing to protect homeowners from unfair repossessions of their properties.

Lord Myners: In 2004, the Government extended the scope of Financial Services Authority (FSA) regulation to cover mortgages, helping to ensure suitable protection for borrowers, including those experiencing arrears or repossession. FSA regulation places a high-level obligation on firms to treat their customers fairly. The FSA recently completed a review of the effectiveness of its mortgage regulation regime, including the treatment of borrowers facing repossession, available at: www.fsa .gov.uk/pages/Library/Communication/PR/2008/087.shtml
	On 22 October, the Government confirmed that the Master of the Rolls had approved a new protocol for mortgage possession cases, which complements existing regulation, and sets out clear standards that judges may expect of lenders bringing repossessions cases in the courts.

Housing: Repossession

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they expect to publish guidance to local authorities wishing to purchase homes being re- possessed by building societies and banks.

Baroness Andrews: On 2 September, the Government announced £200 million for a mortgage rescue scheme to help vulnerable people facing repossession to remain in their home, where possible. The Government are working closely with key delivery partners to ensure the scheme is operational as soon as possible.
	The Government have held a series of regional summits at government-office level to explain the mortgage rescue scheme to all local authorities. This will be followed by further regional delivery briefings in late November and early December, during which local authorities will receive detailed advice on their role in the mortgage rescue scheme.

Identity Cards

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether British subjects who are also Irish nationals with Republic of Ireland passports living in Northern Ireland will be required to have United Kingdom identity cards; and
	Whether Irish nationals resident in Great Britain will be required, where appropriate, to obtain United Kingdom identity cards.

Lord West of Spithead: During the second half of 2009, it is intended to start the roll out of identity cards to people applying to work in the secure airside area at certain airports and this would apply to British and Irish nationals who apply to work at those airports.
	In the longer term, it is intended to roll out identity cards on an entirely voluntary basis and this will eventually mean that people resident in any part of the United Kingdom, whether British or Irish nationals, would be able to apply for an identity card. However, as with passports, only the cards issued to British nationals would be valid for travel within Europe.

Identity Cards

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What discussions they have held with the Government of the Republic of Ireland about United Kingdom identity cards being issued to Irish nationals living in Northern Ireland.

Lord West of Spithead: Home Office Ministers and officials have met their opposite numbers in the Irish Government from time to time and the Government's plan for the introduction of identity cards, including the impact on Irish nationals living in the United Kingdom, have been discussed in general terms at such meetings.

Immigration: Children

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many unaccompanied children seeking asylum in the United Kingdom were detained in each month from June 2007 to September 2008.

Lord West of Spithead: Unaccompanied children seeking asylum in the United Kingdom are only held in detention in exceptional circumstances, and then only normally overnight, while alternative arrangements are made for their care and safety. In addition, detention of individuals under 18 who have been convicted of a criminal offence and have completed their custodial sentence may be authorised in exceptional circumstances where it can be shown that they pose a serious risk to the public and a decision to deport or remove them has been taken.
	Information on the number of such cases is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	Formal detention powers are also used to facilitate the return, with appropriate escorts, of such children. Great care is taken with the return arrangements in such cases, including close liaison with the child's local authority social worker and the authorities in the receiving country, and will take place only when reception arrangements are in place. The return will be scheduled to take place during the course of a single day. In the period June 2007 to September 2008, there were approximately 60 such cases. This figure has been rounded to the nearest 10 in line with standard statistical procedures and is based on management information; it has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols, is subject to change and should be treated as provisional.

Immigration: Children

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which immigration detention centres accommodate families or unaccompanied children.

Lord West of Spithead: Families can be detained at Yarl's Wood immigration removal centre in Bedfordshire; Tinsley House immigration removal centre at Gatwick Airport; or Dungavel House immigration removal centre near Strathaven in Scotland.
	Families will usually remain at Tinsley House and Dungavel House for no more than 72 hours. If detention continues beyond this point, they are normally transferred to Yarl's Wood.
	Unaccompanied children are not normally accommodated in immigration removal centres.

Immigration: Colnbrook Detention Centre

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many people held at Colnbrook detention centre are de jure or de facto stateless; and how they deal with such cases.

Lord West of Spithead: Currently there are three detainees held at Colnbrook who are stateless people.

Immigration: Colnbrook Detention Centre

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What assessment they have made of the arrangements at Colnbrook detention centre for the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal to grant bail, given the 90 per cent refusal rate; and how a bail address is to be obtained.

Lord West of Spithead: Applications for bail lodged with the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal are considered by an immigration judge, who is independent of the Home Office.
	Applications are normally heard via video link with the hearing centre or in some circumstances and at the discretion of the immigration judge in person.
	Applicants can provide an address themselves or there are organisations whose details are provided to detainees who can provide assistance with making an application.

Immigration: Colnbrook Detention Centre

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether Serco is complying with the terms of its contract to manage Colnbrook detention centre; in particular, whether welfare training is given to those responsible for the welfare of detainees; and if not, why.

Lord West of Spithead: The terms of the contract for Serco Home Affairs Ltd to manage Colnbrook immigration removals centre include a provision to supply one social worker for the centre. In response to an identified need for detainee welfare support, Serco employs seven welfare officers at the centre. All Serco staff at Colnbrook immigration removals centre undertake a range of training activities to assist in the management of detainee's welfare concerns. These activities include assessment, care in detention and teamwork, anti-bullying, pro-social modelling, managing aggressive behaviour and family contact liaison (via the Red Cross).
	The management of the centre is also governed by the detention centre rules 2001 which have regard to the welfare of detainees.

Immigration: Yarl's Wood

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether there is an agreement between Yarl's Wood immigration removal centre and Bedfordshire Primary Care Trust on the services to be provided at the centre by the trust; and whether they will place a copy of any such agreement in the Library of the House.

Lord West of Spithead: There is no formal agreement with Bedfordshire Primary Care Trust and Yarl's Wood immigration removal centre to provide services at the centre. Primary healthcare is the responsibility of the centre's operator who works with the PCT to ensure that detainees' healthcare requirements are met.

IRA

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What illegally obtained funds they have required Thomas Murphy of Hackballscross, County Armagh, to forfeit; and why.

Lord West of Spithead: Neither the Serious Organised Crime Agency nor the Police Service of Northern Ireland have required Thomas Murphy to forfeit any illegally obtained funds.

IRA

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much it has cost to investigate the activities of Thomas Murphy of Hackballscross, County Armagh, over the past five years.

Lord West of Spithead: This information is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Light Pollution

Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they intend to make the installation of white street lamps to minimise upward light pollution mandatory (a) in all new housing developments; and (b) when existing yellow sodium lights are replaced; and
	Whether they intend to encourage other local authorities to follow the example of Essex in turning off street lamps between midnight and 5 am.

Lord Adonis: Street lighting service levels are a matter for individual highway authorities. This includes determining the type of lighting to be used and whether to reduce or switch off lighting in certain circumstances.
	The effects of reducing lighting levels or turning lights off will vary from case to case. Any cost savings from reduced energy use would have to be balanced against potential adverse effects; for example, on accidents or crime.
	The UK Lighting Board in conjunction with the Institution of Lighting Engineers has published Invest to Save, which provides guidance to local authorities considering adopting energy-saving measures such as dimming or switching off of lights. The document can be found at the Institution of Lighting Engineers' website at www.ile.org.uk.

Northern Ireland Parades Commission

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President (Baroness Royall of Blaisdon) on 3 November (WA 20) concerning payments to and by the Northern Ireland Parades Commission, how much was paid to the commission for payments to its members each year since 2004.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Information relating to payments to commission members can be found in the Northern Ireland Parades Commission annual report and financial statements. Copies of these reports are held in the Library.

Northern Ireland: Bill of Rights

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much the Northern Ireland Bill of Rights Forum has spent on taxis since its establishment.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The work of the Bill of Rights Forum is now complete. The forum's financial records, which are now held by the Northern Ireland Office, indicate that £2,401.40 was spent on taxis.

Northern Ireland: Historical Enquiries Team

Lord Morrow: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why the Historical Enquiries Team is not examining ballistic records systematically to look for connections between deaths on its records.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: This is an operational matter for the chief constable. I have asked him to reply directly to the noble Lord and will arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the Official Report and the Library of the House.

Olympic Games 2012: Employment

Lord Ouseley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What evaluation has been made of the benefits, through employment opportunities, to local people in East London from the contracts awarded for the 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games.

Lord Davies of Oldham: Of the contracted workforce of 2,701 currently on the Olympic site, 24 per cent (637) are residents of the Olympic host boroughs. This compares favourably to the average local workforce of 5 to 10 per cent of other recent major construction projects. The Olympic Delivery Authority is seeking to maintain and improve on this as the build programme continues, working closely with local agencies.
	The Games provide a catalyst to improve the employment prospects for disadvantaged communities across London. The London Employment and Skills Action Plan for 2012, co-owned by the London Development Agency, Learning and Skills Council and Jobcentre Plus, aims to reduce worklessness in London by 70,000, (20,000 of these in the host boroughs). Supporting local people into jobs on the Olympic Park is just one element of this work. In the longer term, we shall build on the collaborative work of agencies in the host boroughs as a basis for tackling endemic problems of high unemployment through a strategic regeneration framework for the area incorporating the Olympic Park post-2012. This will be as much about removing barriers to employment, such as benefits entitlement, childcare and language skills, as providing training in jobs.
	Both the immediate work in securing Olympic jobs for local people and the longer-term aim to reduce worklessness in the host boroughs will be subject to a longitudinal evaluation of all this work to measure its impact beyond 2012 to 2015. This will also look at the impact on employment of other contractors (non-construction) in delivering the Games and its legacy.

Olympic Games 2012: Funding

Lord Ouseley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much has been diverted from Sport England's budget over the next four years to help fund the London Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012.

Lord Davies of Oldham: £99.956 million of lottery funding will be transferred from the National Lottery Distribution Fund, in respect of Sport England, to the Olympic Lottery Distribution Fund, between 2009 and 2012. Additionally, Sport England is contributing £263.8 million to elite and community sport as part of the overall Olympic budget over the period 2004 to 2012.

Olympic Games 2012: Funding

Lord Taylor of Warwick: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will set a limit on the government funding of the Olympic Village.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The amount of public subsidy required to support the Olympic Village will be determined in the light of commercial negotiations. However, the Minister for the Olympics is confident that this subsidy can be provided from within the £9.325 billion public sector funding envelope.

Parades: Northern Ireland

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 7 July (WA 66) concerning consultants to the Northern Ireland Parades Commission, why the commission used different processes for selecting Biznet Solutions and Parity Training Ltd.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Given the nature of the products to be delivered, two different approaches were taken in selecting the respective consulting firms; that is, Biznet Solutions for IT and Parity Solutions for recruitment of the Secretary to the Northern Ireland Parades Commission. Both however were engaged in accordance with Northern Ireland Office procurement guidance.

Passports

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord West of Spithead on 28 October (HL5449), how many of the 216,581 applicants interviewed by passport personal interview officers from 31 July 2007 to 31 July 2008 were refused a United Kingdom passport.

Lord West of Spithead: Identity interviews were added to the passport process mainly to deter fraud by increasing the difficulties for impostors seeking to obtain passports in other people's identities. The interviews therefore also act as a protection for British citizens against one form of identity theft. Extensive checks are carried out prior to interview and in a number of cases this will uncover issues which will mean that the passport application is withdrawn or refused. At the present time, no applicants have been refused a passport as a result of an interview at a passport interview office.

Planning

Lord Burnett: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What were the stages and dates of the progress made by each English local planning authority (from first attempt) in producing their local development framework.

Baroness Andrews: All local planning authorities are required to agree with the Secretary of State and publish a local development scheme (LDS) which sets out the number, type and timing of proposed development plan documents and publish the scheme on their websites. When and where the scheme is revised, local planning authorities are required to publish the revised scheme on their website with two weeks. Local development scheme details can be viewed on local authority websites and summaries can be viewed on the planning portal at www.planningportal.gov.uk.

Planning

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	On how many occasions during 2008 the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has overturned a planning inspector's recommendation; and how many times this was done in 2006 and 2007.

Baroness Andrews: These figures cover decisions on called-in planning applications, recovered appeals and cost applications.
	The information requested is given in the table below.
	
		
			 Year Total number of decisions No of decisions where the Secretary of State went against inspector 
			 2006 301 17 
			 2007 188 21 
			 2008* 121 12 
		
	
	* As of 31 October 2008.

Planning

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the average period of time between submission of a planning application and a decision being reached by the relevant authority in each of 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008; and how the figures compare with the average time in the three years preceding the coming into force of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

Baroness Andrews: The department does not hold information on the average length of time for planning decisions to be reached. However, we do hold data on the number of decisions meeting the 13-week target for decision-making (for major applications) and the eight-week target (for minor and other applications). These are presented in the table below:
	
		
			 Percentage of decisions 
			  Major planning applications determined within 13 weeks Minor planning applications determined within 8 weeks 
			 2000-01 45% 53% 
			 2001-02 43% 53% 
			 2002-03 43% 52% 
			 2003-04 51% 60% 
			 2004-05 57% 67% 
			 2005-06 66% 74% 
			 2006-07 71% 76% 
			 2007-08 71% 77% 
		
	
	Source: CLG Development Control Statistics returns.

Population Growth

Lord Taylor of Warwick: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to remarks made by the Immigration Minister, Mr Phil Woolas, whether they will take steps to prevent the United Kingdom population rising above 70 million.

Lord West of Spithead: The Government are undertaking sweeping reform of the immigration system. This includes introduction of the points-based system to ensure that only those who the UK really needs come here to work. The points-based system is flexible and responsive to the needs of the economy and we will use these levers taking advice from the Migration Advisory Committee on where our economy needs migration, and from the Migration Impacts Forum to tell us about the pace of change that is right.
	We will continue to examine population projections to inform our use of the flexibility inherent in the points-based system.

Public Prosecution Service

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 3 June (WA 47), why the salaries bill for legally qualified staff in the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland rose from £5,100,000 to £6,035,000 between 2006—07 and 2007—08, when the number of such staff fell by one.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The figures provided on 3 June represented the number of legally qualified staff in post at each year end (31 March). There was significant recruitment during 2006-07 reflecting the rollout of the Public Prosecution Service. The 172 staff in post at 31 March 2007 had not, therefore, all been in post during the whole of that year, and this impacted on the total salary payments quoted for that year. The average number of staff in post during 2006-07 was 149.
	All salary increases in each period were in accordance with NIO pay settlements.

RAF: Transport Aircraft

Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the newest Royal Air Force Tristar aircraft was built; and for how long such aircraft will be kept in service.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: The youngest RAF TriStar aircraft was completed by Lockheed Martin on 5 August 1980. Present plans are for the TriStar fleet to remain in-service until 2015.

RAF: Transport Aircraft

Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Royal Air Force co-operate on the maintenance and support of Tristar aircraft with any other operator of the aircraft in Europe.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: No.

Railways: Chiltern Franchise

Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many interventions they have made in the management of the Chiltern Railways franchise in the past year, in terms of regulations, letters, e-mails and telephone calls.

Lord Adonis: The Chiltern Railways franchise agreement was signed in 2002 and there is no contractual requirement to record the number of individual interventions that take place with the company.
	Beyond its required periodic reporting, which gives the Department for Transport assurance of the health of its business and the delivery of its contracted outputs, the level of such interventions is dependent upon the quantum of live issues present at any one time.

Railways: Electrification

Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Adonis on 23 October (WA 131), when they plan to make an announcement about extending railway electrification.

Lord Adonis: The Secretary of State announced on 29 October a programme of work to ensure that we make best use of our national transport networks including by the selective extension of rail electrification. This programme will be co-ordinated through a National Networks Strategy Group that I will chair. I will report on progress early in 2009.

Railways: Overcrowding

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the definition of passenger overcrowding on trains was last altered in terms of the number of seated and standing passengers and the ratio between them; and what are the latest figures.

Lord Adonis: Rail statistics are published by the Office of Rail Regulation. The latest data available are for 2006 and are published in the National Rail Trends Year Book for 2006-07, which is available in the Library of the House. The published measure (which was first used by the Office for Passenger Rail Franchising in 2000) is based on an assumed standing room of 0.45 metres per standing passenger.
	The ratio of standing passengers to seats varies according to the type of rolling stock, but for modern sliding door stock is generally around 35 per cent.
	There are two specific variations to the published measure: class 376 trains, operating on Southeastern services; and for services operated by Stagecoach South West Trains to and from London Waterloo.
	New (class 376) purpose-built vehicles ordered for Southeastern are configured to serve short-distance Metro passenger flows, and the stock has been specifically configured with low density seating and appropriate grab rails for standing passengers, to ensure that passengers can stand in relative comfort for short-distance journeys. The same is true for class 455 units operated by Stagecoach South West Trains, on services that stop within 20 minutes of leaving London Waterloo. In these cases, the standard is varied to 0.35 and 0.25 square metres respectively.

Railways: Public Performance Measures

Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the effect of the public performance measure on passengers on trains leaving London; and whether the measure encourages rail companies to maintain connections.

Lord Adonis: The effect of the public performance measure is to record the punctuality of an operator's trains arriving at their destination.
	The decision to maintain connections when trains run late is an operational matter for train operators and Network Rail; it should be influenced by the need to minimise the overall impact on passengers as well as accounting for the particular local circumstances.
	The public performance measure will reflect the outcome of such decisions.

Railways: Rolling Stock

Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Adonis on 20 October (WA 85), on which occasions outside the normal course of events they have directed the hire and use of railway rolling stock fleets in the past three years.

Lord Adonis: In the past three years, it has been necessary to use powers under Section 54 of the Railways Act 1993 (as amended) to ensure that certain fleets were taken on by successor franchises through the refranchising of South West Trains, Cross Country, West Midlands and InterCity East Coast. Further details can be found through the invitation to tenders which can be found on the Department for Transport website at www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/passenger/invitation totender.

Railways: Rolling Stock

Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answers by Lord Adonis on 28 October (WA 158-9) and 29 October (WA 175), and in light of overcrowding on the services of Northern Rail, South-West Trains and TransPennine Express, whether they will seek to expedite discussions and the delivery of additional rolling stock.

Lord Adonis: The Department for Transport would like to reach agreement with the train operating companies (TOCs) on implementing affordable and value-for-money solutions to introduce incremental capacity to the rail network at the earliest opportunity. We are working with those train operating companies to achieve this.

Recycling: IT Equipment

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether information technology contracts under which departments and agencies procure services but do not own assets are monitored to ensure that the asset management programmes in use meet their targets for carbon and energy saving; and whether equipment that is replaced under such contracts is recycled.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The DECC currently receives IT services from IBM under a contract with the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), and Fujitsu Services Ltd under a contract with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR).
	Under the Defra/IBM contract, all IT equipment is owned, maintained and periodically updated by IBM.
	Defra has in place rigorous requirements based on sustainable development and environmental policy implementation as part of its outsource competition process.
	Within the Defra contract, IBM implements procurement and disposal processes that fully meet Defra's aspirations and continue to seek ways to improve the environmental performance offered.
	With regards to IT replacements and disposals, IBM's third-party supplier, Northern Realisations Ltd, provides a service fully compliant with the Waste Electronic and Electrical and Energy Regulations (WEEE) and reduction of hazardous waste directives.
	With respect to the BERR/Fujitsu Services Ltd contract, the ownership, provision and management of IT equipment is wholly outsourced.
	Fujitsu Services Ltd complies with the requirements of the WEEE directives as appropriate and applicable. It has a corporate environmental policy (available on request) and recycles and disposes of equipment in compliance with both of these as far as security requirements allow.
	Fujitsu Services Ltd is currently supporting the department with its ongoing initiatives in terms of energy saving, in particular investigating the safe early shutting down of PCs to save power during the working day. This is in addition to an automated script that is run at night to detect and switch off PCs identified as switched on but not in use.

Regional Development Agencies

Lord Taylor of Warwick: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why they took £300 million from the budget for the regional development agencies to fund a housing initiative.

Baroness Andrews: The housing market is experiencing significant challenges as a result of turbulence in the global financial markets. This has had a significant impact on first-time buyers, who are finding it harder to get onto the housing ladder due to higher deposit requirements and the higher cost of borrowing.
	The Government are committed to taking action to respond to these challenges and, where necessary, will prioritise resources in order to do so. The new HomeBuy Direct scheme will make more affordable homes available to up to 10,000 first-time buyers who are currently priced out of the market, and will also help to maintain the capacity of the house-building industry to respond with increased housing supply when market conditions improve.
	In assessing bids from developers to participate in HomeBuy Direct, the Housing Corporation will have regard to regional housing strategies and any additional evidence submitted by the regional development agencies about current housing-market challenges.
	The Government remain committed to the work of the RDAs, which is why we are investing £6 billion to support them over the next three years.

Roads: A1

Lord Bates: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What decisions have been taken on the proposals for (a) upgrading the A1 western bypass in Gateshead and (b) upgrading to dual carriageway the A1 between Newcastle and Berwick-upon-Tweed; and what are the costs of these projects.

Lord Adonis: No decisions have yet been taken on the Al western bypass in Gateshead. The project is currently at the options identification stage and the Highways Agency has identified a range of options with a wide range of cost estimates, which have not yet been checked and validated. A report to Ministers on these options is expected in the first half of 2009.
	On the Al between Newcastle and Berwick-upon-Tweed, two schemes—Adderstone to Belford and Morpeth to Felton—were developed up to preferred route status (2005). These schemes were designated regional schemes to be funded from the north-east region's regional funding allocation (RFA), and in 2006 the region advised the Secretary of State that they would not prioritise these schemes within their funding allocation. Work on these schemes was therefore halted. The region has been asked to review its priorities within the RFA this year and submit its advice to Ministers in early 2009.
	The Adderstone to Belford and Morpeth to Felton schemes have not been worked on since 2005, therefore no recent cost estimates are available at present.

Roads: Satellite Navigation Systems

Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they plan to prohibit the use of satellite navigation devices which do not conform to Regulation 683/2008 of the further implementation of the European satellite navigation programmes (EGNOS and Galileo).

Lord Adonis: Regulation 683/2008 deals with questions of governance and financing for the Galileo programme (including EGNOS), as well as its legal basis and how the system is to be procured. It is not a regulation with which satellite navigation devices might conform.

Schools: GCSEs

Lord Donoughue: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	On what dates were new GCSE specifications by any awarding body, including the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment, submitted to the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority or the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator or both between 15 March and 1 October; when each specification was approved or not approved by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority or the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator or both; what are the titles of GCSE specifications submitted after 4 April; and what was the awarding body submitting them.

Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: On the basis of information supplied to me by the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual), I can confirm that 187 full course specifications (not including double awards or short courses) were submitted on or just before the submission deadline of 4 April 2008. These came from all five GCSE-awarding bodies recognised at that time: OCR, AQA, Edexcel, WJEC and CCEA.
	The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) submitted the following specifications on 8 July 2008:
	Applied Business B;Applied Business B (Double Award) Business Studies B; andDesign and Technology: Product Design.
	The CCEA submitted the following specification on 21 July 2008:
	Business Communication Systems B.
	Of the 187 full course specifications submitted, 180 were accredited on 8 August 2008. Six were later withdrawn and the remaining one was accredited on 25 September 2008 once the outstanding issues were resolved.
	The five specifications received in July were not considered for accreditation as they were submitted after the submission deadline.

Sea Levels

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What assessment they have made of the long-term viability of (a) Tuvalu, (b) Vanuatu, (c) the Seychelles and (d) the Maldives in view of projections of rising sea levels.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: While the UK does not unilaterally assess the impacts of climate change on Tuvalu, Vanuatu, the Seychelles and the Maldives, the UK has played an important role in negotiating and supporting the implementation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Nairobi Work Programme on adapting to Climate Change. This includes financial contributions and submission to the UNFCCC of the UK's experiences in this area.
	The UK also contributed to the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 4th Assessment Report of Working Group II (Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability) technical report, which states with very high confidence that:
	small islands have characteristics which make them especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change, sea-level rise and extreme events; and,sea-level rise is likely to exacerbate inundation, storm surge, erosion and other coastal hazards, thus threatening the vital infrastructure that supports the socio-economic well-being of island communities.
	The UK is working with other countries to consider a number of issues related to international climate change as part of the Bali action plan, due to culminate in 2009 at the Copenhagen UN meeting. This will consider:
	international co-operation to support the urgent implementation of adaptation options in vulnerable countries;risk reduction and risk management strategies, including insurance;disaster risk reduction strategies;economic diversification to build resilience; andways to catalyse action in the private sector, other international organisations and UN bodies and agencies.

Shipping: Pollution

Lord Hunt of Chesterton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which environmental policies for shipping they will press for at the 10 to 14 November meeting of the International Maritime Organisation Council in London in order to achieve the reduction of atmospheric pollution in coastal areas and global reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Lord Adonis: The Government will continue to press for a global maritime carbon emissions trading scheme in the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). We will also continue to facilitate agreement on a package of technical measures and operational improvements to reduce carbon emissions from ships, which is currently under discussion. We played an active role in the IMO work which culminated, in October, in a global agreement on measures to reduce air pollution from ships.
	Work on greenhouse gas emissions will continue to be taken forward in a working group of the IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee, the next meeting of which will take place in March 2009. Council meetings are concerned with the overall supervision of the effective functioning of the IMO.

Stock Exchange: Russia

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will ask the regulatory authorities to review listings of Russian companies on the London stock exchanges; and whether they will ask that future issues only be approved if it can be shown that companies (a) are genuine commercial businesses, (b) do not have large state holdings in their equity, and (c) have valid title to all their assets.

Lord Myners: The standards for admission to listing on stock exchanges are mainly established in EU directives—the listing directive, the prospectus directive and the markets in financial instruments directive. The FSA is responsible for applying and enforcing these standards for the admission of companies to the UK official list. The financial advisers and other advisers for any issue will also assess the accuracy of the company documentation with the company prior to listing. The standards are largely based around disclosure. For example they require discussion of the nature of the company, disclosure of significant shareholders and the company's historic financial information.
	The precise standards vary depending on which routes an overseas company is using to access the UK market and the FSA has recently consulted on changes to ensure greater clarity about which listing route a company has chosen.

Taxation: Residential Development

Lord Campbell-Savours: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What information they collect on taxation receipts arising out of rental income from residential development.

Lord Myners: Unincorporated taxpayers are required to declare aggregated details of their rental income and associated expenses on the self-assessment tax return. Similarly, corporate taxpayers are required to declare their income from land and property.
	Taxpayers are not required to report the type of property giving rise to rental income.

Tobacco

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In relation to the proposed European Union restrictions on the use of pesticides suspected of being carcinogenic, whether they are pressing the European Union to ban the cultivation and import of tobacco.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Although a non-producer, the UK has concerns about the cost and health implications of the EU tobacco regime and we have been working to eliminate the EU subsidies on the production of tobacco. Reforms of the regime have now introduced decoupling into the tobacco sector, which means that the direct link between production and support is broken. This will apply progressively until 2010 when direct EU support for tobacco production will cease altogether. Already there has been a significant reduction in EU tobacco production as a result.
	We are not however pressing the European Union for an outright ban on the cultivation and import of tobacco.

Transport: Illegal Drivers

Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Adonis on 7 October (WA 13—4), what steps they are taking to ensure custody facilities at police stations are adequate to deal with the increased number of drivers being apprehended as a consequence of technological advances.

Lord West of Spithead: It is a matter for the chief officer of each police force to ensure that adequate cell accommodation is available in his or her force area.

Transport: Public Expenditure

Lord Bates: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the average public expenditure on transport per head of population between 2001 and 2007 for each region in the United Kingdom.

Lord Adonis: Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2008 (HC489) provides a breakdown on identifiable public expenditure on services by function, country and region from 2002-03 to 2007-08. Table 9.11 of that publication provides this information per head.
	The following table gives the transport spending figures
	
		
			 £ per head 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 
			 North East 189 184 181 292 230 244 
			 North West 235 229 249 240 274 292 
			 Yorkshire & Humberside 182 178 174 181 234 245 
			 East Midlands 195 189 197 196 228 223 
			 West Midlands 208 205 228 221 262 284 
			 Eastern 185 191 183 199 235 250 
			 London 436 618 529 573 641 667 
			 South East 243 239 242 235 278 277 
			 South West 177 175 191 202 250 258 
			 England 241 265 258 271 311 323 
			 Scotland 279 315 304 347 524 552 
			 Wales 268 246 274 286 306 303 
			 Northern Ireland 182 195 193 205 226 318 
		
	
	Figures for earlier years were reported in previous editions of PESA, but may not be comparable owing to changes in definitions and data methodologies.

Weeds

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have assessed the environmental effects of the spread of Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera); and whether they have issued advice on its control and eradication.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: An assessment of the impacts of Himalayan balsam is currently in progress using the UK non-native species risk analysis mechanism. This mechanism was established as part of the invasive non-native species framework strategy for Great Britain.
	Advice on the control of Himalayan balsam is published on the GB Non-Native Species Secretariat website as well as information on how to identify the species.